


Best Friends

by dokyun (kissthesea)



Category: Mr.Mr
Genre: Ambiguous Relationships, Best Friends, Love Triangles, M/M, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-10
Updated: 2013-09-10
Packaged: 2017-12-26 05:20:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,296
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/962075
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kissthesea/pseuds/dokyun
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Changjae always thought Doyeon would be by his side.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Best Friends

**Author's Note:**

> Written for an anon at kprompts on Livejournal.

Changjae's eyes drift lazily over random objects in Doyeon's room. It never ceases to surprise him how messy Doyeon is for such a calm and relatively easygoing guy. Books litter the floor as if thrown there at random, Doyeon's bed is never made, and his clothes tumble out of a giant pile that keeps his closet door from closing. Nothing is out of place, everything is just as it was the last time Changjae was here, and that's rather comforting.

"I think I'm going to audition," Changjae says with a yawn.

Doyeon slides down from the bed to sit next to his friend on the floor. His eyes show surprise but his tone doesn't, just as sleepy and monotone as Changjae's. "Is that so?" He leans on Changjae just a bit, and his arm is warm.

For a few minutes, they're both silent. Changjae fingers an unlit cigarette and realizes he'll have to stop smoking. "I will, too," Doyeon sighs, and Changjae glances at him. The music in the background is so low Changjae almost can't hear it. 

"Sounds good," he replies. Doyeon turns and he's grinning, and Changjae returns the smile briefly before leaning in for a kiss.

Doyeon says it like it's a favor, but Changjae knows better.

 

The training is exhausting but Changjae is always the last to fall asleep. Soon they'll be moving into a dorm with the others, but until then they alternate staying at each other's houses. Going their separate ways makes little sense when they end up in the same place every day anyway. Doyeon is asleep the second his head hits the pillow, but Changjae lingers, eyes trained on the ceiling. 

On the way home Doyeon asks questions, _Am I doing enough? Did I dance better today? When do you think we'll debut?_ Changjae doesn't have answers, of course, and he teases his friend for being so nervous. Doyeon pours out his insecurities until they step through the front door, and then he's all smiles. Changjae shrugs and pushes forward. Doyeon's questions don't start to register until he's trying to sleep, and then it hits him.

He doesn't fall asleep until he finally rolls onto his side, his arm draping across Doyeon's waist.

 

"Hyunjin hyung is so funny," Changjae enthuses over a bowl of noodles. Technically they aren't supposed to be eating anything outside of the dorm and their strictly regulated diets, but Changjae convinces Doyeon to disappear with him. Doyeon acts like it's a real hassle, but Changjae knows better. 

"I thought he was kind of stupid," he continues, chewing thoughtfully. "I mean, how can he act so cute? But he's good, really, really good. I didn't believe he could sing, but did you hear him?"

Doyeon nods along silently. He sips the broth in his bowl and lets Changjae continue without interrupting.

"Tomorrow hyung says he'll help me with my exercises. I'm determined to get abs like his before we debut."

"We debut next week," Doyeon chuckles. His eyes crinkle at the corners and Changjae pouts.

"Hyung says I can do it."

Doyeon just shakes his head and pays the noodle vendor. "Well, if hyung says."

Changjae grins and slings an arm around Doyeon shoulders as they start back towards the dorm.

 

The hardest adjustment after they move into the dorm is learning to sleep in a separate room. Changjae doesn't mind sharing a room with Kitaek, but Changjae finds himself strangely lonely watching the other three go upstairs together night after night. Soon he finds excuses to wander up with them. He sits at the end of their blankets and pretends he's not so exhausted it takes every ounce of concentration to keep his eyelids from drooping. Now and then Doyeon shoots him a look that says he knows exactly what Changjae is doing, but Hyunjin and Jihyun are just as happy to have him there. 

Soon Changjae finds he's going up there more and more to talk to Hyunjin, while Doyeon and Jihyun nod off to sleep hours before Hyunjin forces Changjae to bed.

Doyeon doesn't seem to mind when Changjae starts spending more time with Hyunjin. Doyeon's always been a little less talkative, and Hyunjin can _talk_. Hyunjin is like the perfect older brother to all of them, and Changjae wishes he could be more like him. Hyunjin always knows what to say, how to be funny, he pushes himself to practice until he's ready to collapse but still makes time to talk to the others, make sure everyone's doing well. In a lot of ways Changjae wishes he could help. Doyeon was always the stronger of the two of them; Doyeon knew how to take care of people. Changjae isn't even sure he's been taking care of himself this whole time.

The way he follows Hyunjin around is ridiculous and Changjae knows it, but he has so much fun along the way Changjae doesn't even notice when, gradually, Doyeon isn't by his side anymore.

 

The shift starts off slow. At first Changjae doesn't notice the touching because, compared to Kitaek, none of them were all that clingy. But he does see the way Jihyun makes Doyeon laugh, almost without trying. Except that Changjae is smarter and sees the ffort in Jihyun's expressions, sees how happy he is when Doyeon laughs. Jihyun is clumsy with his words and as naggy as a mother, but so damn earnest that no one can hold anything against him. The guy's voice gives Changjae shivers and for a whole day Changjae puffs himself up and boasts to Doyeon that, someday, he'll do better. Even Doyeon laughs at that.

Maybe that should have been the first sign.

Jihyun and Doyeon laugh in a quiet, private way. When Jihyun makes dinner, Doyeon is by his side. They chat and laugh while Doyeon tries to help and Jihyun eventually banishes him to the living room. Kitaek only hugs Jihyun from behind to whine about how much time is left until he can try some; Doyeon hugs Jihyun from behind, rests his head on Jihyun's shoulder and doesn't say a word. The food in the pan sizzles softly and Jihyun hums. Doyeon mumbles something and Jihyun's face flushes, or maybe it's just the heat of the stove.

Meanwhile Changjae watches from the stairs and wonders when Doyeon stopped following and Jihyun started chasing.

 

"You like him, don't you?"

Doyeon pauses outside the door to the bathroom and stares at Changjae blankly. Perhaps waiting outside the bathroom for Doyeon isn't the most sane thing to do, but Hyunjin and Jihyun are recording for a show and Kitaek is taking a nap, and now might be Changjae's only chance. Somewhere along the line Changjae had forgotten how to talk to Doyeon, even forgot how to get him alone. The old excuses for sitting together and chatting had disappeared into thin air.

A part of Changjae hopes Doyeon will deny it. Or that he'll be clueless, that he'll laugh and then Changjae can laugh and they'll return to how they used to be.

When the hell was the last time Changjae had kissed Doyeon? He wants to yank Doyeon close and do just that, but now it isn't possible. Doyeon returns Changjae's glare and sighes. The tired resignation in his eyes is not at all what Changjae wants to see. Storming off without getting an answer is also probably not the sanest thing to do, but Changjae's legs move on their own.

"Changjae," he hears Doyeon call after him, but the door closes behind him and Changjae turns the lock. In his bunk, Kitaek snores softly.

For a few seconds, Changjae waits for Doyeon to follow after him, but he doesn't. Doyeon probably thinks it's best for both of them, but Changjae knows better.


End file.
